Christmas
Barcelona

Christmas, BarcelonaChristmas
is a very festive time of year and is widely celebrated with events taking place throughout the city over the course of the Christmas period.

There are many important dates that feature over the course of Christmas which include the Day of the Immaculate Conception which is often the chance for families to get together, attend mass and often visit a Christmas market and public nativity scene.

One of the most well known Christmas markets is held in front of Barcelona Cathedral and is called the Fira de Santa Llucia which offers hundreds of stalls selling in particular Christmas decorations and items for nativity scenes which are a big feature in many homes in Barcelona.

Another curios item found are tree logs that have been decorated with a face and which also contain legs, these logs known as Caga Tio are a big success with children who cover them over with a blanket and fill and feed them with sweets, then on the 24th of December it is is traditional to hit the Cago Tio with a stick, releasing the sweets back to the children.

There are several public nativity scenes on display around the city including one in front of the Town Hall which is often very large and detailed and is popular due to its close location with the Fira de Santa Llucia.

The streets and squares are often beautifully lit up with creative Christmas lights and Christmas Trees making walking around the city and shopping a pleasurable experience. Barcelona is well known for its excellent shopping opportunities and the well known Passeig de Gracia is filled with lights, decorations a bustling atmosphere and plenty of gift ideas.

For many Christmas Day is a chance to spend time with friends and family and is when small gifts are also often given, however the main celebrations and exchanging of presents takes place on Three Kings Day in January which is considered a more important date than the 25th and which also marks out the eve of the Epiphany.

The Three Kings Parade is a highly anticipated and lively event, when the three wise men arrive in the city dressed in colourful costumes and surrounded by beautifully decorated floats accompanied by music, dancing and plenty of street entertainment along the parade route.

DateThe Fira de Santa Llucia begins on the 25th of November to the 23rd of December, the Day Of The Immaculate Conception takes place on the 8th of December, Christmas Day on the 25th of December and the 5th of January is when the Three Kings Parade takes place.

LocationThe Christmas market, Fira de Santa Llucia takes place in front of Barcelona Cathedral in the Placa Seu, the Town Hall Nativity scene takes place at the Placa Sant Jaume and some of the best shopping and Christmas tree decorations can often be found around the Placa de Catalunya and Passeig de Gracia.

Travel GuideThe Placa de Catalunya can be reached by bus (N3, N2, N4, N8, A2, 9, 16, 17, 42, 55 and 141) and by subway and train to Catalunya (L1, L3, L6, S1, S2 S5 and S55) and Juame l (L4) is the closest to Barcelona Cathedral and the Town Hall.